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About Cancer

Cancer is a proliferative disorder characterized by tumor cells that have lost normal controls. These normal controls include many things from hormonal controls to the loss of them, growth factor controls or their loss, programmed cell death (apoptosis) or its loss, among other things. These losses occur because of damage to the DNA of a cell by various mechanisms including: individual genetic inheritances, viral infections, UV radiation, chemicals in the environment, aging and oxidative stresses, certain chronic diseases.

What characterizes a malignancy is that the tumor cells of a malignancy can move outside of the primary site of the tumor and travel to distant sites. In benign masses this does not occur. Often it is the complications from the metastatic spread of tumor cells that cause death. Confining a tumor to its primary site is one approach to cancer treatment and survival.

There are other complications from tumors as well. Obstructive complications including in the colon, the common bile duct, the lung tissue, and so on all create situations in which the body can no longer conduct it's normal functions because they are impeded by tumor tissue. Tumor cells also secrete substances some of which look like normal hormonal substances which tell the body to act in certain ways that are not conducive to health. These substances interfere with and complicate the overall health of the patient.

Integrated Care for Cancer

The primary approach of conventional treatment is cytotoxic. This means that agents and other interventions that are used are known to kill tumor cells. These interventions include surgery as the main treatment in solid tumors, chemotherapies and hormonal therapies to kill any metastastic disease that cannot be seen through any known means, and radiation for local control of a surgically resected tumor. Radiation is also used in some lymphomas and as a primary treatment in some solid tumors, for example prostate cancer, thyroid cancer, and many head and neck tumors.

Many of these interventions are currently unable to discriminate healthy and unhealthy cells. They do damage while striving to treat the cancer. Although there are many support medications that conventional medicine uses to alleviate these unwanted side effects, these drugs also create more side effects. This is where integrated care comes in.

The Chinese and South Koreans have been integrating Chinese medicine with the standard of care in cancer treatment for the last 60 years. There is a tremendous amount of statistical information on thousands of patients over many years showing better outcomes for patients who do combined care.

Chinese Medicine:

• Potentiates conventional treatment by making it act more strongly, by protecting normal organ functions from cytotoxic agents, by maintaining normal gastro-intestinal function so that thr patient remains well nourished, by maintaining normal blood levels so that the schedule of conventional treatment is not interrupted.

• Treats the cancer terrain and not just the end stage by addressing the constitution of the parent and the acquired injuries caused by damaging exposures and unhealthful living. This terrain can include immunodeficiency, mental habits and emotional constraints, underlying illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, alcoholism, smoking, insomnia, and so on.

• Treats the spirit of the patient in order to foster hope and make it a reality by building physical, mental, and emotional strength. This strength enables a patient to better survive the cancer, remain healthy during and after treatment, and helps to prevent recurrence.

• Treats to prevent recurrence through all of the above and by treating after conventional treatment when no other interventions are being offered. Preventing recurrence means to rehabilitate the patient after conventional cytotoxic treatment, and addressing the "spirit of the disease" that may have left tracks in the body inviting the cancer back again.

Did you Know?

Green Tea constituents inhibit cell growth and have the ability to induce normal cell death in prostate cancer cells. Green Tea comes from Camellia sinensis, a Chinese herb.
Green Tea and Prostate Cancer. Gupts, S. Urol Clin North America Feb. 2002;29(1).

Did you Know?

Coriolus Versicolor, known as turkey tail mushroom or yun zhi, has been used in cancer treatemnt in China and Asia for the last 30 years and even before.
Anticancer effects and mechanisms of polysaccaride -K (PSK: implications in cancer immunotherapy, Fisher, M. Anticancer Res, May 2002;22(3).

Did you Know?

Astragalus-based formulas of Chinese herbs in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy for stage IV lung cancer increased the Karnofsky performance status (quality of life,) and reduced risk of death at 24 months.
M. McCulloch. J Clin Oncol 24:419-130. 200.

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